


Bring their own reward

by hetrez



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Birthday Presents, Gen, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-29
Updated: 2007-04-29
Packaged: 2017-10-28 15:53:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/309514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hetrez/pseuds/hetrez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Happy birthday, yin_again! Her prompt was John and Rodney in the city, and the aftermath of crisis.</p><p>Short, McKay/Sheppard-ish. Title comes from a quote by the fantastic Harding Welsh of due South fame: "Freaks bring their own reward."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bring their own reward

"Holograms," Rodney snaps, tapping on a folder with his bandaged hands. With every word, the tapping gets more vicious, and John finds himself slightly mesmerized. "Flu germs. Tectonic and geothermal activity, the migratory patterns of herd animals, _nursery rhymes_ \--"

"All right," Elizabeth says, holding up a hand. "Thank you for your input, Rodney. I get it."

Rodney shakes his head. " _Thirteen_ new projects okayed this week, and not a single one of them was mine."

Zelenka says, "You are consulting with Dr. Waterstraat on his theory of two-dimensional representations on the rim of space-time." He's smiling slightly, and trying to hide it.

Rodney's eyes narrow and he says heavily, " _Holograms_."

John waves at Rodney's bandages. "Well, maybe if you could type or something Elizabeth might give you your own project."

"Oh, yes, we're hilarious today." Rodney sneers. "Please keep going."

Rodney is like John's own private joke with himself. Half the time he doesn't even get that John is messing with him. "I'm just saying, it might be helpful. You know, if you're going to write out equations and stuff."

Rodney turns red, jerks his chin up. "I'm sure we don't need to keep talking about that," he says.

After the meeting, Rodney scuttles off with his folder balanced precariously between an elbow and a bandaged wrist, and John has to book it to catch up with him. Rodney looses control of the folder just as he gets there, and John catches it when it starts to tip off over the side of his arm.

"Thank you," Rodney says stiffly.

"Hey, so I was thinking," John says. "You can still play chess, right?"

"You mean with limited to no use of my fingers?" He makes a huffing sound and waves his hands. "Of course I can."

John shrugs. "It's no big deal. You can tell me your moves," he says.

Rodney says, "I'm sorry, I can _what_?"

John leans over and says quietly, "I gotta tell you, I'm pretty bored, with the team on stand-down and all. I've been looking for some kind of challenge."

Rodney whole face changes and he says, "Oh," looking self-satisfied and a little shy, so different from the last few days when he'd flinch at the sight of his own hands. "Oh, well in that case, of course -- I mean, of course you'd want to -- I think I can provide a challenge."

And sometimes, when John does it right, McKay is like his own private gift to himself. He smiles, and goes to get the board.


End file.
